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Background: Increased physical activity (PA) is ordinated to increase glycemic control in subjects with diabetes. We evaluated objectively measured as well as self-reported PA in elderly individuals with and without diabetes.

Method: The study included 1872 community-dwelling individuals (49% women), all aged 70 years. Objective PA was measured by accelerometers worn for 1 week. Physical activity patterns in subjects with and without diabetes were evaluated using multivariable adjustable regression models.

Results: In the cohort 210 subjects (138 men and 72 women) were found to have diabetes. Self-reported PA showed a weak association with objective PA (r = 0.06, p = 0.01).  Individuals with known diabetes had fewer steps per day (mean 5,754) than those with detected diabetes at baseline (mean 6,359) or no diabetes (mean 7,375, all p < 0.05). A cut-off value of at least 6,000 steps per day discriminated best between individuals with and without diabetes (multi-adjusted odds ratio (OR), 0.50, 95% CI, 0.36–0.69), and overall step-count also showed the strongest correlation with objective visceral adipose tissue (VAT, β = 0.29, p < 0.001). In contrast, objectively measured PA in at least 10-minute bouts, as recommended by WHO, did not discriminate between individuals with a without diabetes (OR, 0.92, 95% CI, 0.66–1.28).

Conclusion: Despite recommendations given to subjects with diabetes, objectively measured PA was more than 20% lower in elderly individuals with diabetes. Daily step-counts was also associated with VAT, a potential mediator of the effects of PA.